Educating the Fair Sex: The Rise of Women’s Magazines and Charlotte Lennox's The Lady’s Museum

This thesis analyses eighteenth century periodicals and their role in shaping women’s intellectual involvement and education. Particular attention is paid to Charlotte Lennox’s periodical The Lady’s Museum. As a publication that includes a blend of history, literature, science and moral instruction, The Lady’s Museum is taken as a case study to better understand how periodicals contributed to the evolving discourse on women’s education. The aim of this thesis is to situate Lennox’s work within the wider context of female publications and the cultural transformation of the eighteenth century. The analysis is structured to progress from the broader to the specific, beginning from the English print historical framework and concluding on Lennox’s publication. It started introducing major legislative changes in print culture, such as the repeal of the Licensing Act in 1695, which abolished prepublication censorship, and the implementation of the Stamp Act in 1712, which affected the distribution of printed materials. Additionally, the study continues examining the emergence of coffeehouses and their central position in the propagation of information, serving as spaces where newspapers and periodicals were read and debated. As noted by Habermas, the commercialisation of print media, led to a rise of ‘writerly journalism’, where newspapers and periodicals became vehicles for public discourse and exchange. It further explores the interconnection between women’s education and periodical press, analysing how magazines became essential tools in expanding female access to knowledge. As literacy rates increased, from 22% to 66%, by the mid-eighteenth century, the demand for periodicals also grew, particularly among female readers. With the innovation of interactive features such as the letter columns, women were able to engage in discussions on various topics, including literature and philosophy. Despite the prevailing domestic role of women, these periodicals introduced a new place for women in the literary sphere. The third and final section of this thesis is dedicated to The Lady’s Museum and its contribution to women’s print culture. Charlotte Lennox positioned her magazine as a real educational program that sought to grant her readers access to scholarly education including discussions on history, science, philosophy and literature. Besides, Lennox also included her serialised novel, The History of Harriot and Sophia, which subtly explored the themes of female virtue, resilience, and intellectual independence. Thereby, operating within the gender constraints of the time, The Lady’s Museum provided a foundation for female intellectual agency and literary participation. To conclude, this thesis argues the transformative strategies of the periodical press in eighteenth century society and their role in shaping the public sphere while expanding intellectual opportunities for women. Periodicals both reinforced and challenged the existing gender norms, but the in-depth analysis of The Lady’s Museum highlights how magazines acted as a trigger for change. This study aimed to analyse the role of print culture in redefining the boundaries of women’s intellectual spaces and participation in the public sphere.